Serene Sighs
by Satashi
Summary: When Touko can't make it to Sayaka's formal event, she turns to Yuu for help. The night doesn't go according to plan, and the two end up in an awkward situation where the three girls have to question exactly what they all mean to each other.
1. Chapter 1

Looking at myself in the mirror made me wonder just how I ended up in this situation. My orange hair was let down, styled professionally with a mist of styling spray that gave it an almost rose gold look to it. I wore an expensive looking necklace and a dress that probably cost more than I made in a month at the bookstore. The heels I was wearing gave me an extra few centimeters to my height, but made me wobble with my steps. To top it off, my name was being called to get ready to go into a room full of people I didn't know. With a deep breath, I tried to steady myself and think back to what just had put me here.

**Serene Sighs**

**By: **

**Satashi**

"Touko." The word made the student council president look to her side and smile gently at her best friend. "You look lost in thought." Sayaka sat down beside her and opened her lunch box.

"Yeah... My family decided to visit some relatives over the winter break. I really wanted to stay here though. I get along with them just fine, but with everything going on lately, I really wanted a day for myself. We just finished the stage show, you know?"

"You're working too hard." Sayaka lifted a small piece of octopus sausage with her chopsticks and offered it to Touko, who took it directly from the utensil with her mouth. "So I guess I can't steal you for the gala?"

Touko's eyes widened lightly as she sat up straight in her chair. "That's this week!? Sayaka, I'm so sorry!"

Waving it off, the blond smiled. "Don't worry, consider yourself lucky. A night of pretending to be interested in people you don't even know doesn't sound fun at all."

At that moment, Yuu opened the door to the student council room. "Sorry I'm late," she gasped out while swapping her shoes. "I totally forgot we were having a meeting during lunch!"

Touko looked at Yuu for a moment before moving back to her close friend. "Oh...Why don't you ask Yuu?"

"Hm? Ask me what?" Yuu sat down across from them and placed her lunch before her.

Before Sayaka could brush it off, Touko held up a finger while explaining. "Every year her family goes to a charity event gala, and she can bring a 'plus one' to go with her. Last year, I went with her to keep her company and told her I'd do it again this year. But well, I'm being taken away by my family so I can't make it."

"Oh," Yuu blinked, tilting her head.

"That's where you come in!" Touko pointed at her.

"I see - Wait, what!?" Yuu looked over at them in shock. "I - I don't even know what a gala is!"

Sayaka sighed out and rested her forehead onto her palm. "I can't just drag someone along, Touko."

Yuu sank back into her chair as she watched the two bicker back and forth over it. Usually she would love the opportunity to avoid something like this, but the way Sayaka's voice sounded so...lonely... made her reluctantly speak up again. "Uhm... If it's just something I can do for you, I don't mind?" The two girls across from her stopped talking at once to look at her. "I-I mean, you know, if it's just keeping you company? I do owe you one for coming along with me that one day..." The silence that followed made her suddenly question herself. "Did I... say something silly?"

"It's settled!" Touko clapped her hands together just as Seiji and Suguru opened the door to the room to join them. "Yuu will be Sayaka's date for the night!"

Seiji looked over at Yuu, his smile growing with interest at the declaration. Before he could say anything though, Suguru ran into the room before him. "Eh? What's this? Are you two girls dating!?"

Sayaka rubbed her temples slowly, eyes closed. '_And here we go,_' she thought to herself. As the meeting went on, she eyed Yuu across the table. It was no secret that they didn't get along the best, but Yuu still did try to offer chances when she could. The last time the two had been alone, she had treated the younger girl like a child. It was an intentional insult, laced behind kind words that weren't fallen for. Since then, the two had been on shaky ground to say the least.

The rest of the day was an unfocused mess for Sayaka. Classes seemed to just melt into each other, the topics not interesting her in the slightest. Instead, her mind was focused on the upcoming event. It was clear Yuu didn't really understand what she signed up for, but the way that she had so openly wanted to help made up for it. '_That girl... Really doesn't think about herself._

When the school bell rang, Sayaka took a deep breath to prepare herself. '_Here goes..._' Standing, she moved to Touko's desk to wait for her to finish packing up. The pair walked to the front of the school where Yuu was waiting for them. The short girl looked nervous, turning to gaze up at the two older women approaching her. "Thank you for waiting, Koito-san." Sayaka greeted her with a smile.

"Mmmn. Sorry to take your time, Saeki-senpai."

"Don't be that way, you're doing me a favor." Her eyes looked over at Touko, who waved at them both before going off on her own. "You sure you don't mind going my way?"

"Its only a few stops away, it won't be bad." Yuu began to walk next to her, silence overcoming the pair almost at once. "Uhm... so... What exactly is a gala?" Her eyes looked sideways at her upperclassman.

"It's an event, this one a local charity fund raiser. A lot of people gather to socialize and offer donations to different organizations through an auction. My family is friends with one of the organizers of it, so we go every year."

"Oh... Doesn't sound bad." Yuu nodded to herself.

"It's a black tie event." Sayaka revealed, getting another questioning look. "It means high class dress code. That's why I'm taking you to get a dress."

Yuu almost stumbled, stopping in her tracks while looking up in disbelief. "Wait, a dress? High class? Just how rich is your family?" Her reply was just a neutral look and she flinched from it. Touko had told her before that Sayaka didn't like talking about her family's status. "Sorry, that wasn't very tactful of me..."

A sigh. "It's okay. You're still young after all."

Yuu bit back a sarcastic reply. "I place myself in your hands, _Senpai._" the way she stressed the word made Sayaka narrow her eyes.

"If you don't want to go, you can leave now." Turning, she stood in front of Yuu.

"I told you I would be there for you, and I will." Yuu replied, voice annoyed.

"I'm giving you a way out of this."

"Well I don't want it!"

The two stared at each other for several seconds before Sayaka's shoulders sagged. "Why do you try so hard for me, Koito-san?"

Yuu looked down at her feet for a few moments as people passed them on the sidewalk. "You... seem lonely." She didn't raise her eyes to see the response to that. "I don't like that feeling, so I don't want you to have it either. Even if we don't really get along too well, for various reasons."

Slowly the older girl inhaled through her nose in an attempt to calm herself down. "You're too nice for your own good. I can see why Touko likes you so much." That got Yuu to look up at her. "The truth is, I don't really dislike you." She moved to start walking again, making Yuu jog a few steps to catch up.

"You don't?"

"When we get to my house," Sayaka easily avoided the topic. "Could you call me Sayaka? It would be odd with my family around if you use my last name."

"Okay, Sayaka-senpai." The way she said it made the older girl tense up slightly. The pace quickened and Yuu smiled while picking up her speed as well. "You look rather pleased, Sayaka-senpai."

"I've never had anyone call me Senpai with my name before, of course it would be weird."

"Should I stop, Sayaka-senpai?" Her words were now playful, easygoing and happy. The tension between them dissolved as they made their way to the train station.

"Don't trip on the gap on the train, underclassman." Sayaka stated, not looking back as they boarded.

"Yes, Sayaka-senpai!"

'_Ugh, I see why Touko likes it so much..._' She looked away, cheeks darkening.

The younger girl could barely hold back the gasp when she finally arrived at Sayaka's house. It was a large two story building with a gated front yard big enough to even have landscaping. Yuu could almost feel the tension from her friend, a nervousness from fear of isolation. "Nice place," Yuu commented as casually as she could.

"Not as cozy as a bookstore, though." Sayaka whispered to herself. Despite being quiet, Yuu still placed a comforting hand onto her arm. "Koito-san?"

"I think you should use my given name, it's only fair. We're good enough friends to visit each other's houses right?"

"...Yuu?" The way the girl before her smiled and nodded made the tight grip on her heart ease once again. "I guess I underestimated you. You wouldn't leave me because of this, would you?"

"Don't be silly." Yuu laughed out. "Senpai is Senpai, no matter what. I know you from what you show me, and that girl is my friend."

"You're too kind, people are going to take advantage of you."

"I don't let people take advantage of me." Yuu replied gently. "Not even you. Remember that, okay? I'm here because I want to be."

"...Thank you." With that, the two entered through the gate and into the house soon after.

The inside of the entry way was a meticulously cleaned tiled floor reflecting the lights brightly. A maid greeted them, bowing to the two girls. "Lady Sayaka, welcome home. Shall I prepare some tea?"

"Please. And if it's not too much trouble, could you bring a tape measure for us? My underclassman will be joining me to the gala this weekend and I want to have a dress prepared for her."

"Right away, Lady Sayaka." Bowing again, the older woman briskly moved to start on the instructions.

Once alone, Sayaka looked over her shoulder at Yuu, who was clearly holding herself back. "Ugh, fine, you can say it ONCE, okay?"

"What do you mean, Lady Sayaka?" Yuu grinned with playful eyes. As expected, she got a sigh but nothing else.

"Feel better?" She began to guide her friend back to her room.

"Much." Yuu looked around as she followed. Once she was in the room with her, she smiled at the scent of candles already lit. "It smells really good in here."

"Think so? It's just scent I use."

Yuu leaned over, making a show of sniffing Sayaka's hair. "Oh, you're right, it does smell like you."

Unsure either to yelp or bonk the girl on the head, the older of the two settled on just taking a step to the side. '_She's so carefree,_' Her mind thought as she watched Yuu walk around her room to get a feel for it. '_The way she always puts others first, or goes out of her way to try and make things better. It's so easy to see why people like her._' At once, a blush hit her face and she stopped the train of thought in it's tracks. '_Don't even go there, you already promised yourself that you wouldn't let that happen. Just because she's nice doesn't mean you should-_'

"Sayaka-senpai?" The simple calling of her name made the girl cough to get control of herself. "Are you okay?"

"Fine." Moving to her friend, she put a hand to her chin while thinking. "I think you would look lovely in a white dress that's slightly pink."

"I've never really worn fancy dresses before," Yuu admitted. "So don't go overboard please."

With a smile, Sayaka met Yuu's eyes. "If I'm going to be decked out, you know I'm bringing you down with me."

The days until the gala went by quickly, and soon Yuu found herself standing in her room wearing a gorgeous dress that was custom tailored to her body. It clung in all the right spots and accented her breasts with a diamond cut out above them. Earrings graced her lobes and a bracelet glimmered in the light. Each motion she made caught the reflections in her hair to make it sparkle ever so slightly with a pink undertone. Her heels were just enough to give her some lift without making it too hard on her, but still struggled with her balance every now and then.

When a knock came on her door, she turned to look at Rei leaning against the frame. "You look amazing. Can't believe you're going on such a high class date."

"Don't be stupid," Yuu pouted at her while trying not to mess with the hair tickling her neck due to it being let down for once. "I'm helping out a friend." At that moment, a call from downstairs made her sigh out. "Okay, she's here."

"Going with a girl?" Rei beamed at her. "I always knew it!"

"Oh come off it!" Yuu grabbed her overnight bag and moved past her older sister. "The event is far away so we're staying at a hotel, don't wait up." She was sure there was some kind of teasing comment thrown her way, but she did her best to ignore it. Moving downstairs, she walked through the shop until she caught sight of Sayaka. Her light brown hair was up in a bun, small twirls of it dangling from just the right spots. Long earrings, a necklace, bracelets, rings, and a blue dress that sparkled dazzlingly. Her heels clicked on the floor as she stepped forward and she looked at her friend with a grateful expression. "Oh...wow..." Yuu breathed.

Sayaka felt her heart skip from the honest compliment. "Th-thank you. You look rather nice yourself, Yuu."

Rei looked around the corner and hummed to herself. "First name basis?"

With a defeated growl, Yuu lazily motioned her hand to the side. "Sayaka-senpai, my sister Rei-chan. Rei-chan, this is Sayaka-senpai."

"A pleasure." Sayaka gave a gentle bow towards the older sibling. "I'll be taking care of your sister tonight, please entrust her to me."

Rei whistled, clearly looking impressed. "Whoa. You got it, she's all yours."

Yuu grumbled to herself. "Don't just give me away to people you don't know, Rei-chan."

"Well then," The brown haired beauty offered her arm. "Shall we, Yuu?" The smile was radiant, eyes beaming a silent thank you to her for not making her endure the night alone.

"You know what? Let's go," a few steps were taken and she looped her arm onto the other girl's. "Lady Sayaka."

"I'll hit you." Sayaka teased, keeping a laugh to herself when Yuu stumbled and almost fell from her heels. A rather fancy looking car was waiting for them outside and the door was opened for them by the driver. "We're going to meet my family there," She revealed while trying to sit comfortably. "I thought it would be a lot easier for you this way."

"You didn't have to." Yuu looked around curiously, trying to take in the fancy car without making her friend uncomfortable.

"I stole your whole weekend and stuffed you into a car for two hours. The least I can do is try and make it not awkward." Despite this, they were sitting right next to each other, dressed to the nine's. It was a date no matter how they wanted to take it. "Thank you again."

"I know we didn't start off great, but... I'm happy I met you, Sayaka-senpai." Yuu felt eased from the other girl's presence. "Let's enjoy our date, okay?" Her friend's whole body seemed to relax, an honest smile coming to her face as she nodded.

"Mmn."

When the pair finally made it to the event being held, Yuu couldn't help the gasp that came over her. Both hands went to the window, looking out with a bewildered expression. "We...We're going _there_!?" She looked suddenly frantic. "S-Senpai!" The venue was roped off with even a few camera crews walking about. Spotlights were everywhere, making the night almost seem as if the sun was still up. "I-I thought this was going to be a small, private thing!"

"Calm down, Yuu." Reaching over, she put a hand onto the girl's shoulder. "It looks bigger than it is. Once we get inside, it'll be more reserved." She could tell her words weren't doing the best so she carefully slid her hand down to take Yuu's, giving it a squeeze. "I'm here with you. I'm your date tonight, so I won't leave you alone."

Yuu took a deep, calming breath before nodding. "Okay... I'll do my best...Even though I don't know what to do." The door to the car was opened for them and she stepped out to the bustling of multiple people all around her. Sayaka was soon beside her, once more offering her arm. Together, they walked to the entrance and was permitted into the private ballroom rented out for the night.

"That was the worst part." Sayaka managed to calm Yuu down. "Now we just stay for a while until we can sneak off. We don't have to be present for the auctions, my parents will be there for that."

"Okay...Wow. I feel so outclassed." Yuu whispered as two older women walked by them.

"Don't say that." Sayaka's voice sounded hurt at those words. "You're more valuable than you know, Yuu." As soon as she spoke, the girl brought a hand to her mouth. '_Where did that come from?_' Before she could expand on the thought, she saw Yuu's eyes grow wide.

"Wait, Tsutsuyo-san!?" Her call made a man in a white business suit turn to look towards them. A smile broke over his face and he walked towards them. "It is you!" Yuu smiled up at him.

"Yuu-chan!" The man was tall, dwarfing the short girl by a clear twenty centimeters. He had blond hair, stylish glasses, as well as an atmosphere of respect around him. "And Sayaka-chan as well."

"You two know each other?" Sayaka asked in disbelief. Tsutsuyo was a family friend of theirs, as well as the owner of several hotel chains in Tokyo.

"He's a regular customer." Yuu revealed, clearly eased seeing someone else she knew there. "He always buys the Yuri manga when they come out."

"Oi, Yuu-chan!" He gently flicked the girl's head with his fingers. "Don't go telling people strange things about me."

With a laugh, Yuu simply moved next to her friend, linking their arms once more. "Don't worry, Sayaka-senpai is my date tonight, she won't tell anyone."

"Oh? Congratulations, Sayaka-chan. You got a good one." The man smiled at the stunned girl, and then turned as he was called from the side. "Ah, I have to run, you two love birds don't get into trouble okay?"

"Wai...I..." Sayaka's words fell on deaf ears as the man walked away from them.

"Ah, he thought we were dating." Yuu laughed. "I guess that's my fault. Sorry about that."

The smile she gave made any protest give up half way. '_Oh well. I guess it doesn't matter.'_ Watching Yuu look around again brought a smile to her lips. '_She's so cute, and it's nice to have someone not be ashamed to say they're with me._' Her friend turned back to her, brushing some hair behind her ear. The light caught her just right, flashing a sparkle across her cheeks and eyes. Breath left Sayaka's lungs, eyes widening slightly as she took in the sight of the girl laughing before her. '_Oh... Oh no..._'

As a server came by, she plucked two flutes of champagne from the tray and held one out for Yuu. "I'm only going to let you drink one." She wanted anything to distract her from the thought trying to creep into her mind.

Yuu accepted the drink and looked at it with interest. "Is this real?"

"Mmn. Only one." Tilting her glass forward, she tinked it to Yuu's. "To a wonderful night."

"To a wonderful night." She took a long sip from it and laughed as it tickled her nose. "Oh this taste so weird!"

As the night went on, Sayaka walked Yuu around, introducing her to everyone she knew since she was a little girl. Being the second year that she brought a female as her date, a few of the more close friends all teased her about finally being true to herself. Yuu seemed to take it in stride, holding onto Sayaka's arm whenever she felt the girl was getting nervous about it.

More and more people arrived, a dinner was shared, parents were met, and before long, it somehow stretched into the early hours of the morning. Yuu was wavering slightly, struggling hard to keep herself up as she waited for Sayaka to come back from a fast drink break. As she leaned against a wall, she scanned the crowd with hazed eyes. "Hey, you alone?" A voice came to her, making her look to the side. The room swayed with her as she tried to take in the person.

"Me? Uhm, I'm... I'm with Sayaka-senpai." Yuu sat down yet another flute of champagne and blinked a few times to try and clear her vision.

The man placed his arm on the wall and leaned over. "Oh, just with a friend?"

Sayaka saw the exchange from the side of the room, quickly downing another glass of bubbly liquid before making a beeline for the pair. As she watched the man lean closer to the shorter girl, she felt a sudden anger in her chest. '_Who is this guy, hitting on MY girl!?_' Sayaka's voice came next, making the two look her way. "I'm her date," the words were stated a little more firmly than intended. "I'd appreciate you to not hit on my Yuu, thanks." As the man apologized and stepped back, Sayaka took Yuu's hand. "Come on, I think we need to call it a night."

"Y-yeah..." Yuu stumbled a bit, but managed to catch herself, snorting as if she suddenly found it very amusing.

"How much did you drink?" She asked, voice a little groggy herself.

"More than one, you?"

A laugh. "More than one." The two girls giggled as they made their way outside, pleased at their rebellious act. Their driver came by almost at once and before long, the two were in the warm car and on their way to their hotel nearby. "Thank you again," Sayaka whispered as Yuu's head rested on her shoulder. Her arm went over the girl's shoulders, pulling her close. "It felt so good having someone be with me... I wasn't lonely for once in my life."

"Senpai..." Yuu looked up at her with a funny, lopsided smile. "Was I a good date?"

"The best." Their foreheads touched, eyes locking together. A moment of silence passed through them for several seconds before a voice gently broke it with a whisper. "I'm going to kiss you now."

"Yeah..." Their lips touched, hands going to each other's bodies without hesitation. Yuu clasped her hands on the girl's cheeks, Sayaka rubbing over the silk of the dress she wore. Fast gasps of air came between them as they each licked the taste of champagne from each other's tongues. Before long they were at the hotel, both of them stumbling and staggering as they jogged to the elevator, barely remembering to grab their bags.

The two laughed as they fell against the elevator walls, Sayaka hitting the button for the penthouse suits. Kisses came thick, mixed with laughter, drunk gasps, and pleased sounds. When the door dinged and opened, they held hands together, shooting each other grins while power walking to the room. They both knew what was about to happen, and their hazed, sleep deprived minds were screaming at them to get out of the restrictive dresses they both wore.

The room opened with a swipe of a card and they fumbled in, not even turning the lights on. Wet sounds of their kissing filled the room as they knocked over everything in the path towards the large king sized bed in the room. Zippers slid, hair clips unfastened, and the two struggled to disrobe the other while refusing to make enough room between them for the dresses to slide off.

"Yuu," Sayaka's voice broke the silence, her mind trying to find some sense of sanity in the crazed fog of hormones and emotions. "We're going to have sex."

"Yes," Her word was lightly slurred. "I'm trying to get your dress off." The two rolled so Yuu was on top, pinning Sayaka down. Her mouth instantly went to the girl's neck, biting and sucking on it as she managed to finally kick off her own shoes.

"Do you...Ahn...Yuu... Do you...want this...?" She rolled them again, kissing the girl hard and finally pulling the dress off. "Please tell me you want this too." Her words were becoming harder and harder to form.

"I want it." Gasps came, hands exploring frantically. "I need it."

"I need it," Sayaka repeated the words between kissing and gasping. "I need love... I need it so bad."

"Yes," Yuu forced herself back on top, moving down in a fevered desire to explore the girl's body. "I want to give it. I want to give love. I have to... I have to..." Her words started to make less sense as she kissed down Sayaka's stomach.

"No!" Sayaka gripped Yuu's shoulders. There was a brief half second shock of silence before a low growl came. They rolled again, and the older girl pinned Yuu down by straddling her. "...I'm on top." The words came huskily, mouth moving over to bite Yuu's shoulder to make sure she didn't move. "Yuu."

"Sayaka...Sayaka.." Yuu began to pant, feeling a knee slide up between her legs. The night started to fade, turning to gasps, yelps of pleasure, and pleadings of the other's name. As their bodies began to give out on them, the two fell into a mess of frazzled hair. Their chests heaved with their ragged gasping, bodies covered in a sheen of sweat, saliva, and bite marks. Exhaustion crept up their minds as they lay together, loosely in each other's arms. Conscious thoughts began to fade from their minds as they started to succumb to sleep, breathing finally going back to normal as the sun just barely started to peak over the horizon.


	2. Chapter 2

The first thing that came to me when I awoke was pain. A screaming inside my head made me groan out and roll over onto my side. I could hear something blaring in the background, some kind of song. When my eyes cracked open, I instantly winced from the bright light coming in from the curtain cracks across the room. I then tried to focus more, seeing the glowing figure of Sayaka before me. She was sitting on the side of the bed, illuminated by the light shining around her, turning off the alarm on her phone... And she was naked. My breath caught in my throat from the sight. She turned slowly, looking over her shoulder with a deep red blush and bloodshot eyes. Were those...tears?

**Serene Sighs II**

**By: Satashi**

"Sayaka," Yuu's voice was husky from just waking up. "Oh gosh, my head is killing me... Oh wow, ouch... Wait, are you...crying?"

The older girl quickly sniffed and turned, wiping her eyes with her palms. "Sorry, my alarm woke you up," she avoided the question and kept her eyes on the floor. "Yuu...?"

"Yeah?" Sitting up a bit, the orange haired girl winced from a sudden jolt of pain. "Ow... I hurt all over, what did we do last ni-" Her words cut, body freezing as the memories came to her. "Sayaka... Did... did we...you know?" The answer to her question was obvious just from the way the other girl tensed up. With a rub of her eyes, Yuu tried to collect herself. Deep breaths were taken slowly before she looked again, now seeing the deep red streaks over her friend's back. A memory flashed in her mind; one of panting, kissing, and a burning pulse of fire rising in her body as she dragged her nails down her lover's back.

Sayaka tried to steady herself, sniffing once more and sitting up properly. After inhaling slowly, she turned to look back at the girl "H-hey Yuu..." Her attempt to break the thick layer of ice failed and her gaze fell to the sheets in shame. " I... I'm so sorry..."

"Sorry..." Yuu repeated the word before just looking down at the sheets. "Yeah. I'm sorry, Sayaka... -Senpai." The older girl winced visibly at the added honorific. After a night of passion and first name basis, it felt like a stab to her already wounded heart. "...Sorry."

"Don't apologize... This was my fault."

"Don't say that, I-"

"Yuu- I mean- Koito-san, I mean... Ugh." Her attempt at trying to be mature shattered at the look she got. "...Can I still call you Yuu?"

"...Can I call you Sayaka?"

"Yes." Sayaka felt relief starting to make its was up her body, the feeling of wanting to throw up in fear dying off. "Did I... hurt you? I... saw the sheets."

Yuu glanced before looking away and scratching her cheek. "I'm pretty sore, but, I mean..." Sighing, she gave in to the awkward question. "I thought I tore it during softball anyway, so don't worry." When Sayaka looked like she was going to continue, Yuu cut her off. "Please don't make that question anymore awkward."

"Sorry, you're right." The silence was starting to suffocate her. "We should shower, huh?"

"Yeah..."

Hesitating, Sayaka tried to repress a memory of her first girlfriend brushing off their relationship as if it had no meaning. '_I'm not going to make her first time be nothing...I'm not going to make anyone else feel the pain of being brushed off so easily..._' Looking again, she carefully extended her hand to her friend. "Yuu... Will you join me? Please?"

Yuu reluctantly moved to accept the offer, their hands touching gently. With a steadying brace, she scooted across the bed to sit next to her. "Ow... Why does it hurt to move my leg- Sayaka!" Yuu felt even her ears turn red when she saw teeth marks on her inner thigh. "Really!?"

Flustered, Sayaka looked away. "I- I'm sorry!" A soft laugh me her relax again and look back over. "Don't do that, I'm scared!" Though her words were harsh sounding, it was clear relief was laced all through them.

"Sorry." Instantly Yuu tried to justify herself. "I just thought, maybe, if we laughed it would... I'm sorry."

"No, no, I'm just..." Standing, she suppressed the urge to groan from the several marks all over her. "Come on, Yuu... Let's get clean." A smile came as Yuu stood as well and quickly fell against her from her hangover. Instead of just catching her, Sayaka pulled Yuu into a gentle hug. "... Can I wash your hair?"

"...You're spoiling me."

"Please?"

"I think I'd really like that." Allowing herself to be lead to the bathroom by hand, she struggled with trying to decide if she should cover herself of not. "Hey, Sayaka?" A small hum let her know to continue as the shower area was turned on. "We... Really had sex, didn't we?"

"Yeah..." Guiding Yuu over, Sayaka gently sat her down so she could begin to wet her hair. "We did."

"...Was I your first too?"

Sayaka slowed her motions and took time to start lathering shampoo into the girl's hair. "When I was in junior high, I had a girlfriend... We didn't end very well." Tilting Yuu's head back, she spent way longer than needed to massage her scalp. "Yuu, she told me that it was just a phase, and she didn't really love me. She told me that I wasn't really interested in girls and I should stop pretending." When Yuu opened her mouth to reply, Sayaka kept going before she could. "It really hurt me. I tried to force myself to think I liked guys, so I... went to a mixer with my friends." Her hands slowed. "That night, I found out that I hated men."

"...I'm so sorry."

Shaking her head, Sayaka started to rinse out the suds. "I made a bad choice and I've regretted it ever since. I transferred schools, tried to just act normal, and, well, then I met Touko." Without saying anything, the two swapped places so Yuu could do her hair while still talking. "I knew the moment I saw her that everything leading up to that point could be in the past."

Eyes closing, Sayaka enjoyed the feeling of warm water easing her migraine. "After I got to know her, we became fast friends." Sayaka's words started to get lighter as she lost herself into the scalp massage. "I started to fall for her, much like everyone else. I thought maybe, just maybe, it would be okay to like girls. Even though I swore off love, I started wanting it again. Touko, however... Well, you know." She got a small hum and Yuu started to work down her hair. "Touko doesn't love. At least, she used to not..." A gentle sigh came from her. "Then... I met you." Delicate hands paused briefly before continuing. "Yeah, I hated you. The moment Touko asked you to be her campaign manager. I know it was bad of me, but... I instantly saw you as a threat to me. I'm sorry, Yuu."

"Shh, don't apologize for that." The shower head was taken to start rinsing the soap from the delicate strands.

"I'm scared of being alone," Sayaka almost whispered. "From everything that happened, I started to crave love... I guess that's what drove me so hard last night. When we kissed, I just... lost it. I couldn't stop myself, Yuu... I'm so sorry."

"Shhhh." Yuu placed the shower head down and gently hugged her from behind. "Stop apologizing, I'm at fault too."

"No, I'm your Senpai, I was supposed to take care of you. Oh Yuu, I promised your sister and then I..." A hand was brought to her face, covering her eyes. "I got you drunk and then..."

"Stop." Yuu pulled her closer, burying her face in the wet mass of hair before her. "Just stop." The girl in her arms twitched as a hiccup came. A small sob followed and after a moment, a shiver. "Sayaka. This was a group effort. I'm at fault just-" Another sob interrupted her and a soft whine followed. "We're going to figure this out," Yuu whispered to her gently. "Together. We'll work through this."

Sayaka forced herself to nod, taking a breath and trying to calm herself down. "Sorry, Yuu, I'm just really emotional right now."

"I understand." Yuu let the girl have her moment and started running the bath while she regained her composure. "Come on, sit with me?"

Nodding, Sayaka stood up so she could come over. "It's a little small, let me get in first and you can sit on my lap?"

"You can sit on my lap."

She gave her a little smile. "I'm taller."

"Not by much." Sayaka just looked at the shorter girl until she finally gave in. "Fine, you first."

"Good girl." Gingerly the girl slid into the water, wincing and closing one eye as the hot water stung her love marks. "Ow... ow... Why did you scratch me so much?"

Yuu looked away shyly and mumbled. "I think you know the answer to that." When a hand was offered to her, she carefully moved into the bathtub as well. Her body slid down easily, sitting between the girl's legs and laying back to rest on her shoulder. Much to her surprise, she found two arms moving around her as well to loosely be hugged. "Sayaka?"

"May I hold you for a moment, Yuu? I know I don't have the right to ask, but-"

"Okay," Yuu closed her eyes and rested fully on the girl so she could be spooned. "I guess it's my turn, huh?" She felt Sayaka encouragingly run her fingertips over her arm. "Okay...Here goes... I guess I'll start with saying that I don't really understand love. The feeling of it, what it is to give it or to receive it. I don't know how to... comprehend the emotion." She could tell Sayaka wanted to say something from the way her breathing changed, but she stopped before interrupting. Taking that as a sign to continue, she went on.

"You see, I got tricked into helping the student council. On my way there, I watched Touko-senpai turn someone down from a confession. At the time, I had been confessed to and I didn't know how to reject them. I told her everything and she helped support me. Then, Touko-senpai suddenly confessed to me."

"Just like that?" Sayaka's voice sounded shocked, her body going stiff.

"Just like that. I later found out it was because I didn't know how to love. She could love me and not have to worry about any feelings going back to her." Yuu opened her eyes to look up at Sayaka and see if she looked mad. Instead, she only got a small nod to continue. "Okay, so, uhm, fast forward. She kissed me, I told her I couldn't love her, she asked if she could still love me, I said yes, she kissed me again and again-"

"Whoa, too fast." Sayaka hugged the girl to make her stop talking so rapidly. "I'm not mad, Yuu. If you want to say something, now is the best time for it, okay?"

"... She kept asking for kisses. At first I said no, but I was kind of interested. Maybe I could learn what love was if I kept going with it, you know? And it just... kept escalating... French kissing, touching, always just slightly more than the last."

"You were okay with that?"

Yuu hesitated. "I... was interested in it."

"That's a nice way of avoiding the question."

"...Fine, I wasn't really okay with it at first, but once she started, it felt good so I went with it. After a while, I just stopped saying no and just let her do what she wanted." Yuu's eyes closed again and she hugged herself while talking. "Don't get me wrong, I'm sure she would have stopped if I was firm. I just kept letting her and it became normal, and I didn't really dislike it, you know? I wanted to know what love was and-"

"Yuu." The word made the rambling stop. "Are you justifying her actions, or did you really like it and not mind? Be honest."

"...I started to enjoy it. I wanted to know what love was, so in the end, I think I wanted it just as much as her."

"Then it's okay. I'm not mad." Her voice still sounded hurt despite her words. "Did you figure out your love?"

"...No. I'm even more confused now. Last night... My heart was beating so fast and I felt so hot..." Her words trailed for a moment. "Is that love? Or was that sex? Is what I feel for Touko-senpai love? I feel differently about you two, but last night was definitely... I mean... I didn't dislike it."

Sayaka leaned back and held the girl to her chest. One hand gently stroked Yuu's arm while she thought about the information that had just been unloaded onto her. "Yuu?" A soft hum let her know her friend was listening. "Did you know that you never give direct answers?"

"What do you mean?"

"...Did you enjoy kissing Touko?"

"I wasn't bad or anything."

"How about kissing me?"

"... I told you, I didn't dislike it."

"And right now? In the bath together like this?"

"It can't be helped, right?"

Sayaka used a single finger to lift Yuu's chin so she would have to look back at her. "And that, Yuu, is avoiding the answers. You say just enough to make you not have to commit. Listen... I know I'm not in the place to say this, but... Unless you can say yes to something, please be careful, okay? To Touko, to me, to anyone. People will take advantage."

"I don't let people take advantage of me."

"I know." Pulling her close, she gently kissed Yuu's forehead.

"Sayaka?" Again a hum let her know she was listening. "What... are we?"

"I honestly don't know. I don't love you, but after all of this I certainly don't dislike you. How do you feel?"

"I don't love you, but... I do think what I felt last night was a type of love. I don't want to give it up, but at the same time, I don't know if it's right. If I keep on, it will be the same as Touko-senpai does with me. I don't like the idea of forcing you."

Sayaka bit her lip, choking back the words that would make her friend sound bad. Instead, she sighed out. "What do we tell Touko?"

"We have to explain it to her." Yuu shifted so she could lean forward and hug her knees. "None of us are dating, but I made a promise to her to not fall in love with anyone else." Again, Sayaka bit her lip while listening. "I have to tell her, she has to know. It makes me feel... dirty."

Instantly Sayaka moved forward, hugging the girl close to her heart. "No! Don't say that! Don't say that Yuu!" She could feel tears coming to her eyes again and could only pull her closer. "Please. Please don't feel that way. I'm sorry. This was my fault, so don't feel that way."

"Sayaka?" A soft sob made Yuu close her eyes again.

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry, Yuu." Squeezing her more, the older girl shook softly. "That feeling... of being dirty, that you did something wrong... I don't want you to feel it... I don't want to make you feel that way... I'm so, so sorry..."

The connection finally clicked with her. Sayaka had spent a night with a guy and hated herself for it. Now she worried about her feeling the same as well. "Hey, I'm sorry." Yuu whispered. "I didn't mean it like that. I mean I felt as if I cheated on her, even though we're not dating. I don't feel dirty for... making love with you."

The sudden word change noticeably relaxed the girl. "Okay... Sorry I freaked out." The two eased back down to their laying position and tried to relax in the hot water. "...Want to stop by a pharmacy on the way home and get some ointment and bandages?"

"Oh gosh yes, my mom would kill me if she saw the hickies you left." When the two realized what they had just said, they both looked at each other and gave a small giggle before laughing outright together. "Look at us! Hehe, sitting here laughing about this..."

"Yeah, who would have thought?" Sayaka gave Yuu another hug, this time one of joy. "Come on, let's get dried off and get going. We still have a long way to go in the car." A smile and a nod came while Yuu stood up, stretching out right in front of the girl. "Too bad it was dark, that's a pretty nice view," Sayaka's voice was teasing, a hint of a sly smile.

"Yeah, well, next time I'm on top." Yuu replied as-a-matter-of-factly, acting like it was the most casual thing in the world. "Hashtag Yuu Top."

"Excuse me?" Sayaka rested her arms on the side of the tub, watching Yuu move to get some towels. "I do recall you distinctly being on bottom last night."

"I was feeling generous."

"Right."

"For real!"

"Mmmhmm." She caught the towel thrown at her and smiled.

Yuu looked out the car window as they rode back towards her home. Sayaka had stayed true to her word and had gotten them a few small bandages with ointment. Paired with it was a small container of liquid foundation to hide the ones on their necks, which she thankfully used. "What a weekend, huh?"

"Yeah." Sayaka moved as if she had just woken up, eyes drooping slightly. "Sorry, I think I dozed a moment."

"It's fine," Yuu waved it off. "I'm going to sleep the moment I get home. I don't think we got but an hour or two at the hotel, and this stupid headache is still lingering in the back of my mind... At least we don't have school for a bit."

"Winter break is going to start now, do you have plans?"

"Not really. I'll probably be working at the bookstore most of it. I generally have morning shifts on my days off. Luckily it'll work in my favor today so I can rest. How about you?"

"No, we never really do anything. I generally just read or go shopping."

"Ah." Silence came once again, the two just looking at each other and giving an awkward smile. "Uhm... I really like playing games." Yuu tried with a small blush. "In my spare time, I mean."

Sayaka smiled at her, lifting an arm in an invitation. As Yuu moved to cuddle under it, Sayaka replied. "I like painting my nails, it makes me feel good. A little thing, but I like it."

"I read all the time. Being in a bookstore really does it, you know?"

"I bet," The girl nosed into Yuu's orangish blond hair. "I work out in a gym twice a week." A long intake let her smell the sweet scent of the girl in her arms.

"I jog in the mornings. Less now that I'm not playing softball, but pretty often..." Noticing what was happening above her, she suddenly felt a little shy. "Are you... smelling my hair?"

"...Sorry."

"No, it's okay. I don't think it's weird."

"There you go again."

Yuu pouted. "Are you going to call me out on that every time, Lady Sayaka?"

"If you're going to be a brat, then yes."

"I can't be a brat if I'm on top," Yuu countered playfully.

Sayaka blinked, pulling back to look at the girl fully. "And just how do you know what that word means, little lady?"

"...I'm only a year younger than you, you know."

"Avoiding."

"Sorry, Lady Sayaka." Yuu's words started to slowly fade as she realized what was happening. "Are we... Are we flirting?"

"I think we are." Leaning forward again, she touched their noses together. "I don't want to let this feeling go. Being wanted. Once you get out of this car, I'll be alone again. I want to savor it."

Yuu scooted just a little closer, resting her head onto her friend's neck. "I don't mind this."

"...Say it?" Sayaka moved her free hand to pick up Yuu's. "Just once?"

"I like being here like this, with you, Sayaka." Her head gently turned, their lips barely apart. She could tell the green eyed girl was holding back, her lips quivering ever so lightly. "We can't," Yuu whispered softly to her. "Not until we talk to Touko-senpai."

"I know, it's just so hard to not be selfish... But I agree. I don't want to hurt you, Yuu. I've already taken so much from you."

"Stop. I mean it." Yuu's tone dropped just a little. "We both did it. It's okay. We'll move on."

"Still, it was me who-"

"Say anything else and I'm moving away from you. I'm serious." Yuu met her eyes and saw the defeat in them. "There. Good girl."

"Don't even." Sayaka whispered, hugging her and pressing her face into Yuu's neck. "Don't even make me smile like that, it's not fair." The car started to come to a stop, the driver's voice coming through on the little intercom in their side to tell them they arrived. "It's time."

"It's time..." Yuu tried to steady herself by hugging her closer one more time. "Thank you for a lovely night." Just as she said it, she laughed lightly. "I mean, you know, the date, not the... Gah, who am I kidding, it was pretty nice."

Repressing a laugh, Sayaka bopped her arm. "Haha, go! Don't make me laugh about that, geeze!" As Yuu got out of the car, she waved once more. "See you later, Yuu."

"See you soon, Lady Sayaka." Closing the door, she grinned while shouldering her overnight bag. As she entered the bookstore she called out to her sister at the register. "Hey, I'm home."

"Welcome home, Yuu-chan." Rei greeted around some Pocky. "Have fun at the love hotel?"

Yuu groaned. "Don't even start. And stop eating so many snacks. You are what you eat, you know."

"Yeah yeah... Hey, come here." Rei motioned for her to come over so she could peer at her. "Ohhhhh."

"...What?" She eyes the weird look she was getting from her sister.

"I was a teenager once."

Yuu blinked. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Rei gave a coy grin. "Foundation on your neck, I know that trick. You didn't blend it properly." When Yuu reflexively put a hand on her shoulder, Rei laughed. "And you reek of sex!"

"No I don't, we took a shower!" Yuu countered instantly. As soon as the words left her mouth, she realized what she had admitted to. "I'm going to my room!" Ignoring everything else, she stormed off to the stairs, grumbling a greeting to her mom, and instantly closed her door the moment she got in. Her bag was dropped and she fell onto her bed, instantly grabbing her Switch and turning it on.

Trying to stay up just long enough to see if anyone would bother her before her nap, Yuu suppressed a yawn. "Stupid Pokémon, give me my shiny already..." As soon as she said the words she entered a battle. "YES!" Instantly she shot up, looking with excitement as she began the battle. "Just going to use one of my good balls...don't run, don't run..."

The door to her room opened and Rei stepped in. "Hey, Yuu, I'm gonna bake some cookies, would you want any?"

"Knock!" Yuu complained yet again as she tried to focus. "Hold on, this is important!"

"What is it?" Rei bent over with a smile, watching. "Pokémon? Oooh, a shiny. Don't hurt it too much or it'll take off on you."

"I know that." Yuu grumbled, thumbs working the buttons. After another hit, she went to her items to throw a ball. "Please don't—ah! it... it ran away..." Groaning softly, the girl brought the switch to her mouth and growled.

"Easy there, sis, you are what you eat, remember?"

Yuu glared to the side, mumbling against the plastic. "We've already established I'm a switch."

"Huh? What was that?" Rei blinked

"I said I'm annoyed at this bish!" Yuu blurted while looking away. Putting the system to sleep, she docked it. "I'm going to sleep, Rei-chan. Please save me a cookie."

"You got it, little sis." As Rei walked out of the room, she glanced over her shoulder and smiled. "Sleep well, Yuu-chan." And with that, she clicked off the light and shut the door.. The older sister leaned against the closed door and looked up at the ceiling with worry. '_I hope you know what you're doing, sis._' Her mind thought while sighing softly.

As the days passed, Yuu found herself bound more and more to the bookstore as customers started to increase. Despite this, she didn't seem to mind. It kept her busy, allowing her to push down the worry and stress of the day school started again. Touko would be back soon, and with it would come the confession. She had decided on short and blunt, getting it out there so they could talk about it. Sayaka wished to all get together to discuss it, but Yuu felt as if her friend would try to shoulder everything herself.

Just as she was thinking of the girl, Sayaka entered the bookstore and smiled at her. "Yuu, hello there."

"Ah, Lady Sayaka." She got a look of annoyance, which she gladly ignored. "Welcome. Anything you're looking for today?"

"Yes, I'm looking for a few things." Producing a list, she handed it to Yuu. "Do you know if you have these?" Even as she spoke, Yuu was already deftly typing one handed on her computer while looking at the list. "You're pretty good at that."

"I've been doing this since I was old enough to understand it." With a few more taps of keys, Yuu smiled. "We have them all, I'll get them for you." Moving to walk around the store, she felt Sayaka's presence behind her. "Ready for school to start again?" The question was two sided, and it didn't go unnoticed.

"No, I don't want to finish the homework," Sayaka replied easily while waving to Yuu's mother casually. "Not looking forward to it at all."

"It'll probably be just fine... I hope" Yuu reached up for a book on the top shelf and struggled on her tiptoes. Her friend easily reached it for her, smiling. "You're abnormally tall."

"You're short." Sayaka felt a smile tugging at her lips, their close proximity showing the light smears of fading bruises on Yuu's neck. "But it's okay, I think it's really cute."

Yuu sank back, hiding her lower half of her face with the book. "...You're flirting with me."

"I'm sorry, I'll stop."

"No, it's okay... I don't... mind it. If you want to continue, it wouldn't bother me."

"Yuu."

Cheeks burning, Yuu lowered the book and grumbled. "You're pushing your luck, Lady Sayaka." When she tried to move away, she found an arm stopping her.

"Don't let anyone do something you don't like." Sayaka whispered.

"I don't let anyone take advantage of me." Yuu whispered back, looking away. "I know how to say no." Sayaka's arm slowly moved from her path and she continued on to get the last book needed. In silence they made their way to the counter to check out. "Do you want covers?"

"It's okay," Sayaka breathed out. "...Sorry, Yuu."

"... Stop apologizing to me. It's annoying." Yuu wrote on the receipt and circled a section of it. "If you do this survey, you could win a new years lottery ticket," she recited off easily. "Thank you for stopping by."

Sayaka simply nodded, looking down a little sadly as she got her bag. She offered a little wave, which was returned. Walking outside, she sighed when the cool air hit her. Looking to the receipt, she blinked a moment before realizing that what Yuu circled wasn't the standard deal every shop was doing this time of year, but instead was her phone number and the words 'Why don't we have each other's numbers yet?' next to it. "Oh, you silly girl..." Walking away, she took out her cell so she could add the number to it. Once done, she sent a smiley face and almost instantly received a jellyfish sticker in response. "She really is cute..."

Yuu smiled down to her phone for a few moments before a new notification came up. Touko's name appeared at the top of the screen and a sudden uneasy feeling crept up into her chest. Tapping the phone, she brought up a message wishing to meet her in the morning at the student council meeting before school. Yuu's fingers hesitated above the screen for several long moments before a second line came up. '_I miss you._' The uneasy feeling grew into a painful stab that threatened to take her breath from her. After several more moments, her thumb began to dance over the screen: I'll be there.

The morning was cold, almost painfully so. Snow was falling all around Touko as she made her way through the trees with ice covered branches. Even the ground was a mess of frozen spots and crunching ice where any grass managed to stay. When she managed to reach the small clearing where her club building was, she saw Yuu leaning against the door to it already. Snow was built up on her shoulders and stuck to the scarf she wore. Touko felt her heart skip at the sight, the girl she loved was waiting for her while dazzling white powder floated around them. "Yuu!" The name was said full of emotion as she tried her best to run forward and not fall on the frozen ground.

"Touko-senpai." Yuu whispered as she pushed herself from the door to stand up properly. The feeling in her gut only grew as she stepped forward. Her feet slipped as they lost traction, making her almost fall. Before she could, strong arms wrapped around her, pulling her close to Touko's body. Instantly warmth overcame her and tears began to well up in her eyes from the fear of what she had to say. Her upperclassman clung tightly, nose nudging into her hair.

"I missed you so much..." Touko breathed out as she inhaled her crush's scent. "The whole time I was with my family, I just wanted to call or text you. It was so hard to hold back..." Another squeeze came and she pulled back so she could kiss the girl in her arms, stopping cold when she saw the fear and tears in the golden eyes before her. "...Yuu?"

"Touko-senpai..." Yuu's voice quivered as she tried to speak. '_Is this what love feels like?_' she asked herself while swallowing a hard lump in her throat. The thought of losing the girl before her made her eyes water even more, the first tear rolling down her cheek. '_This fear... this worry..._' A small gasp came as she started to cry. "Touko-senpai...!" 

"Yuu? What's wrong? Are you okay? What happened!?" Touko tried to rub the girl's arms, hold her close, and offer any comfort she could. "I'm here. I'm here honey. Just tell me what's wrong and we can work through it together."

Yuu's body shook while gripping Touko's jacket forcefully in both hands. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry." A hiccup broke her words and she grit her teeth together when she was embraced even more. "Touko-senpai..." She could barely breathe, voice whispering in the raven haired girl's ear. "I... I had sex with Sayaka."

Touko blinked, slowly pulling back to look at the girl's eyes. "Wait.. what was that? I didn't hear you right."

Having to say it again made Yuu give a soft whimper to try and collect herself for the blow again. "When-when I went with her to the Gala. We had sex."

"You... and Sayaka?" Touko's voice got softer, a look of sadness and betrayal in her eyes. "You two...?" Yuu could only nod at her, spilling out apologies one after the other. The words fell on deaf ears, Touko trying hard to understand what was going on. "You... cheated on me?" Even though they weren't dating, the words came out anyway. The promise, the declaration of standing beside her, the voicing of never developing feelings for anyone else, it all seemed to shatter at that moment.

"...Yes." Yuu tried to steady herself, to get a grip on her body. "We... it happened like this..." As she spoke, the girl holding her suddenly stepped back. Golden eyes looked up into tear stained blue ones. "...Touko...senpai?"

Touko turned slowly, using one arm to wipe her eyes. The sound of snow crunching was the only thing she could make out in the confusion storming in her mind. In a daze, she walked through the schoolyard, making her way back to the front of the building with slow, unsteady steps. People called out to her, giving greetings and good mornings, but she couldn't find it in herself to respond. '_Just keep walking,_' her mind told herself. '_Breathe. Breathe. Walk. Don't look at anyone. Breathe._' The words repeated in her head, trying to drown out the words Yuu had spoken to her.

At the shoe locker, Touko stumbled, almost falling over. A hand braced on the cool metal before her while trying to get to her number so she could change shoes. '_Keep going. Get to the nurse's office, you can be alone there. Don't think yet._' Managing to change shoes, she closed the little door and tried to take another breath to make her be able to get to the privacy she desperately wanted.

"Touko?" The voice made the girl stop, slowly turning her head to see who spoke the word. Sayaka was before her, face full of worry. "Hey, are you okay? Are you sick?"

"...How could you?" Touko breathed out, her weak resolve broken at just her name being spoken by her supposed friend. Sayaka instantly stopped moving to her, eyes looking down a moment. "It's true, isn't it?"

"Touko, let's talk about this, come on, we-"

"No!" The sudden scream made everyone around them instantly stop to look over in their direction. "I have nothing to say to you about it."

Sayaka inhaled and braced herself. "No, you have to talk. I need to tell you what happened."

"I don't want to hear it." Stepping forward, she stood in front of the girl. "What could you even possibly have to say to me right now?"

"... It was my fault."

"Fault!?" Touko asked incredulously. "Hah, how does _fault_ come into this? You don't just accidentally end up in bed with someone." She hissed words, trying to keep her voice down so the sudden onlookers wouldn't overhear too much.

Swallowing, Sayaka lowered her voice as well. "I got her drunk on champagne. I took advantage of her."

"...What?" Touko's eyes widened.

"Did she not tell you?" Sayaka breathed out.

"She... She just said that you two..."

"Of course she would..." Sayaka whispered. "Touko. It was me. I am responsible. She was drunk."

"You... You...!?" Touko's sadness slowly curled into anger and fear. "You took advantage of her!?"

Despite Touko getting in her face, Sayaka tried to remain calm. '_I have to take this,_' she thought sadly. '..._I deserve this._' Slowly she nodded. "I did."

"How...could you..." Touko's body began to shake, both hands gripping Sayaka's arms. "Yuu is so innocent... Anyone can take advantage of her, and you just abused that!?"

The words struck a cord deep in the girl, the confused emotions in herself being sparked. "Yeah. I did. You should know all about that." The last part was barely uttered, but Touko caught it anyway.

"The heck does that mean, Sayaka? You blatantly abused her trust."

A flash of the hotel room came to the chestnut haired girl's mind. A vision sitting on the bed, looking at the dried blood streak down her fingers. Anger welled deep inside her, at herself and at the situation. "You're one to talk!" The words came without Sayaka even realizing it. "What about when you kissed her, huh? Without her permission, without consulting her, and then just keep pressing for more."

"Don't you dare try to talk like you know what's going on." Their voices were harsh, just barely loud enough for the ones right by them to overhear them now and steadily getting louder. "She wouldn't let anyone take advantage of her on her own free will."

"Just how dumb are you?" Sayaka hissed at her. "You think if you press her just slow enough that she agrees with whatever you say that it's consent? _You_ took advantage of her way more than I did."

A harsh slapping sound came as Touko ripped her palm across Sayaka's cheek. She was shaking, eyes glaring at the girl. "Don't you dare..."

Sayaka slowly turned her head back, eyes narrowing. "That's my line, Touko." The voice came coldly, eyes sparking with hatred. "You're worse than me."

"Senpai..." Yuu's soft voice made both the girls as well as the onlookers turn to the girl shaking on the spot. Her eyes were red, bloodshot with mascara smeared by them from wiping. "This is all my fault..." Before either could say anything, a teacher managed to push through the crowd and put a hand on both the older girl's shoulders.

With the attention off her for the moment, Yuu turned and walked out of the entryway, back into the snow. She heard her name being called from somewhere, but she kept moving, eyes down on the ground before her. '_I'm going home,_' she thought blankly. '_I just want to crawl in bed and pretend this didn't happen..._' A hand went to her chest and gripped her shirt over her heart. '_If this is love, then I don't want it!_'

Turning at the bottom of the hill, she made her way down the sidewalk back to her house. Eyes downcast, she almost stumbled on a patch of ice but managed to recover just in time. '_It's cold... My head hurts, my chest hurts..._' Another soft sob made her cough and wince. '_I just want to be home..._' Wiping her eyes again, she tried to steady herself. A car horn suddenly blared out as someone stopped their car from hitting a cat walking across the street. Yuu lifted her head and looked to the side, seeing another car behind the first swerve to avoid hitting them.

Eyes going wide, Yuu felt fear grip her heart as the car slid on the ice, turning sideways. She couldn't move, couldn't even breath as the vehicle slid towards her with squealing tires on the frozen road. The next moment she suddenly felt cold and wet, eyes barely opening to see the ground and snow right next to her nose. Warm, sticky fluid ran down her face and across her eyes, making the world blur. Blinking again, she saw flashing lights and heard a searing screech of sirens. A third time she closed her eyes for a moment and suddenly people were all around her. It was too cold to move, and her cheek felt frozen to the ground. Two people pulled her onto something warm while shouting at other people to clear the way for them.

'_Red..._' Yuu's mind began to go numb as her hazed eyes started to close again. '_Why is the snow so red?_'


	3. Chapter 3

A soft sigh escaped my lips as I left the teacher's lounge with Sayaka. We had just been scolded pretty harshly for putting on a scene like that, but since we were both student council members we got off with a soft punishment. It made them more disappointed in us than upset, and forced us to stand in the hallway to talk out our differences before we were allowed to go to class. We both glanced at each other before looking away. My anger had since faded to sadness and it appeared as if whatever emotions had over taken her were starting to fade as well. With a sigh, I leaned back against the wall next to her and tried to make my voice calm enough to speak with my friend.

**Serene Sighs III**

**By: Satashi**

"So..." Touko tried to start. "You're with Yuu, huh?"

"No," Sayaka replied gently, eyes downcast. "I'm not. We don't love each other. If you had let me talk, you would know that."

"So why did you get her drunk?" The blue eyed girl fought to keep her tone in check. The rage from before was seeping from her body, replaced by a tight, clenching of her heart.

The chestnut haired girl looked to the ceiling. "I didn't want to. I gave her a glass of champagne at the event, just like I did with you last year. Over the night, we both just seemed to drink just a little more, sneaking in new glasses before we really realized. It was like... we were rebelling against something. Some kind of little thing that we could do that let us know we were in control... And it bit us in the end."

Touko hadn't expected that answer. Her body sagged as more of her anger left, now just feeling the weight of the conversation pulling on her. "When you said it earlier, it sounded like you did it on purpose..."

"I wanted to talk with you privately, to tell you the process of how it happened. It was my fault, but it wasn't intentional at all." Sayaka looked over at her. "I should have stopped her when I noticed she got more to drink. It's my fault that she even tried it, so it's my fault she got drunk." Her voice dropped down lower, tone turning even more sad. "If I had stopped it...We wouldn't have..."

"...So, wait, this was just two friends getting drunk and messing around? You don't want to date her?"

"Huh? No, why would I want to date her? We barely even spoke to each other before this happened. She's in love with you, I think we both know that."

"Then... Wait, hold on just a moment here!" Touko turned her body so they were face to face. "You're telling me that you didn't take advantage of her, that you were just stupid and got drunk and just so happen to get in bed together!?"

"Shhh!" Sayaka held a finger to her lips, eyes darting around to see if anyone heard. "Keep your voice down," she whispered to her friend harshly, cheeks burning red. "Of course it was a mistake, I just have to take responsibility for it! I'm her Senpai too, she counted on me and I messed up. I'm to blame for-"

"Sayaka you're an idiot!" Touko's arms went around the girl, hugging her. "You stupid, stupid girl... Why are you blaming yourself for this? Yuu tried to tell me that you both did this, and you tried to make her look innocent... Why are you so dumb?" Pulling back, she placed their foreheads together. "Just... just promise me, you didn't intend for it? It was just a mistake? You don't love her?"

"...Touko, you know who I love." Sayaka shifted her eyes to the side and downwards. "You've known for a while now. Why would I do this on purpose? It was just me failing as a friend and as her elder...Besides, making you hate me is that last thing my heart could take."

"Don't try and make this all on you." Heaving out a sigh, Touko took both the girl's hands. "Sayaka. I do love you, but not in a romantic way... I'm sorry. Yuu was the one who broke through me, and I can't give up that feeling."

A small, understanding smile came to her. "I know. We had a heart to heart. I know everything." When Touko started to blush, she tried to make her face more serious. "Really, Touko, take it easy on her, she's so weak."

"You're not mad?" The blue eyed girl moved them back to the topic.

"...I'm sad. When I was with Yuu, I..." Stopping, the girl took a breath. "We should talk about this all together. Just air out everything... Hey, Touko? Forgive me?"

"Idiot... It's not my place to forgive you for a choice you made when you were like that. Same for Yuu. I'm not happy, but... Yeah, let's air it out together."

"...Friends?"

"Friends." The two lifted their hands and interlocked their pinkies to shake on it. "Forever and ever-"

"Till death do us part." With a final squeeze, they let go. "I'll let them know we're okay, you text Yuu and tell her we are good?"

"Yeah." Touko moved to tap on her phone while Sayaka knocked on the door behind them. '_Yuu,_' she thought while gliding her thumb over the keyboard. '_Sorry about earlier. Sayaka and I are okay now, and we want to talk it out. Message me, okay? I love you. So much._'

Sayaka nodded at her and the two moved down the hall together. "And now we wait till lunch..."

Before Touko could reply, her cell started to buzz. "It's Yuu," she confirmed. "Is she not in class?" Turning on her phone, she brought it to her ear. "Yuu? Where are you?" A small sob on the other side of the phone made the girl stop walking. "Hey, don't cry, Sweetheart. We can meet up soon and work it out, okay love?"

"Nanami-chan." Rei's voice came over the line, voice full of pain. "Yuu was hit by a car. We're in the hospital."

Touko stopped, almost falling as everything she was seemed to collapse from her. "...What?"

A hard sniff and rustling answered her as Rei tried to compose herself. "She's in the operating room right now. They said she will be okay, but she lost a lot of blood. I think she would want you to be here..."

"Where?"

"The main hospital, by the train station. The right tower, second floor, the waiting room."

"I'm on my way." She swallowed, forcing herself to continue. "Hang tough, Koito-san." A small hum confirmed that she had heard and Touko hung up the phone. Her eyes turned to Sayaka and before she could even say anything, the girl darted forward to catch her before she fell. "Y-Yuu..."

"What is it? Talk to me." Sayaka hefted Touko back up, supporting her. Her friend's face was deathly pale, her body shaking. "Touko. Listen to me Touko. What happened?"

"Yuu... a car..." Shaking her head, tears began to come to her eyes. "Not again... not again..."

"No," Sayaka touched their foreheads. "Touko. You're going to breath. You're going to stand up. You're going to go to her. I'll be with you. Let's go." Her friend nodded weakly, but Sayaka didn't let her have a moment to rethink it. Turning, she put an arm around her waist and started walking, forcing her along.

"I'm.. going to fall."

"No you're not." Sayaka set her eyes down the hallway to the front of the school.

"I can't... I have... I need a moment-"

"No." The grip on her friend tightened. "You're going to walk forward. I'm not going to let you stop here. I spent way too long letting you do things that hurt yourself. I'm not doing that anymore." Green eyes pierced into Touko's soul with one look. "I'll be your strength. Trust in me, Touko."

Touko's foot caught the ground a little more solidly, the paralyzing fear blanketing her shifting ever so slowly. Looking up, she forced herself forward, hand moving to take Sayaka's from around her waist to hold it. "Let's go." Her steps got faster, now focusing on getting to where her love was. "I'm not going to lose someone else!"

The hospital felt strikingly cold as the two girls entered the building. The floor plan was open with lots of room to move around, hallways extra wide. As they made their way down the turning corridors and up the stairs, Touko felt her heart beating harder in her chest. Her hand gripped her friend's tightly, eyes scanning the area until they came to a large section with a lot of seats. After a brief look, she didn't see the family she was expecting. "Not here?" She whispered in shock.

Sayaka was already ahead, moving to help desk nearby. A few words were exchanged and she came back with a smile. "She's out of surgery, she's in a room to recover. I think it's this way." The pair moved again, feet picking up pace until they reached a room that had Yuu's name on it. Just under the name plate was a sign that read '_No visitors, family only._'

"...Now what?" Touko whispered to herself.

"...We wait." Sayaka sat on one of the nearby benches and leaned against the wall. Before long her friend was next to her, arched forward and hands clasped in worry. "This isn't exactly how I expected us to get together again."

"...Yeah." The attempt to start a conversation failed. Black hair fell around Touko's vision as she just looked at the floor. A few moments passed and a hand went to her back, gently rubbing it. "Sayaka..."

"Yeah?"

"Everything is going to be okay, isn't it?"

"Of course." Her hand moved to caress the waterfall of hair hanging down. "She's already out of surgery, so she just needs to heal up now."

"Yeah..." Another awkward silence came. "Uhm...So... You both talked about things, huh?"

"We did." Sayaka continued to rub her friend's back softly. "She told me about how she feels emotions, how you two do things in private, and I told her about my first girlfriend, then how I fell in love with you."

"...Why do you love me Sayaka? I'm a mess."

"You are, but that doesn't mean I don't love you. Even if you don't love me back, it's okay. I want to keep this feeling, if you'll let me."

"... I said the same thing to Yuu." Touko admitted, shoulders slumping. "I guess she told you all that?" A confirming hum came. "How embarrassing..." Rubbing her eyes, she tried to smile. "Wow, my best friend knowing all this is kind of embarrassing..." Touko lifted herself up and groaned. "Geeze... I can't believe you two... Ugh, and I'm still a virgin." Turning, she gave a soft glare at her. "As punishment, tell me all about it."

"No!" Sayaka felt her cheeks burn. "No way, not happening."

Leaning back down, Touko chuckled to herself. "Thank you for trying to cheer me up. I know you're worried too."

"Yeah."

"...Hey?" Another hum. "In all honesty, everything is okay between you two?"

"Yes. I would say that we're even close friends now. Though I understand if you want me to back off of her now. I don't want it to be awkward." Her voice sank a little as she realized that she would once again be all alone. "Even if it was a mistake, I'm glad I got to experience it... Sorry, Touko."

"...Yeah." Silence came again and the two sat together while waiting. Neither one knew how long it had been, but eventually the door opened to reveal Rei stepping out. "Koito-san!" Touko stood up at once. "How is she!?"

"She's okay. The doctor told me everything went just fine. She has a broken wrist and is pretty beaten up, but luckily the car that hit her lot a lot of speed before it happened. She hit her head pretty hard and is having trouble focusing on things. Right now she's drifting in and out of sleep without even realizing it."

"Thank goodness it isn't worse... I was so scared." Placing a hand to her chest, she breathed out. "Is your family all in there?"

"Yeah, I just came out to call my boyfriend and update him. Now probably isn't the best time to visit her, but soon I know she'll go to sleep and we will go get something to eat. You can sit in with her then, I'm sure. She will be happy to see you when she wakes up."

"Right." Touko nodded .

Rei looked over at Sayaka, who just blushed and bowed towards her. Unsure what to say between the two girls that she knew spent time with her little sister, she gave a little wave and excused herself to make her phone call. "I'll let you know the moment anything changes. Sorry."

As time slowly ticked by, the two girls waited together for their chance to enter the room. Conversations came and went, awkward questions randomly from both of them. Finally, after what seemed like hours, the door opened once again to reveal the family. Soft words were shared, and soon the two were finally allowed entrance into the small room. The lights were off, but monitors were illuminated, casting light across the floor and of the sleeping girl on the bed.

Touko felt Sayaka's hand on hers for support as they entered the open area with the bed. A heart rate monitor kept a steady pace, and another told her blood pressure with a few more vital signs. The girl's legs almost collapsed on her, Sayaka's hand helping her to stay standing. "Yuu..." A soft voice whispered as she walked forward to the chair by the bed. "Oh Yuu..."

Yuu was asleep, bed tilted to a slight reclining angle. A clear tube went to her nose to help with breathing, an IV drip going to the hand that wasn't covered in a cast. Several scratches were on her face and the mostly open hospital gown she wore showed multiple bandage patches covering bruised areas. What stood out the most was the small stitching bandages on the side on her head along a long gash, hair matted down lightly around it.

It took the two almost everything they had to not wake her and to simply take seats by the bed. Touko gently cupped Yuu's good hand, lowering her forehead to it so it would hide her face. Only a moment passed before she began to shiver, finally letting out the tears and worry that had been suppressed for so long.

Sayaka leaned onto the bed as well, resting her arms next to Yuu's legs and laying her cheek on them. It stayed silent for several minutes, the only sounds that of Touko's soft gasps for air. Then, a small groan made them both sit up and look at the girl laying on the bed. Yuu was struggling to open her eyes, a dazed look fogging her.

"Yuu," The two girls spoke in unison, each moving closer to her. Touko continued, leaning over and kissing her forehead. "How do you feel?"

"Like... I got hit by a car." Yuu weakly replied, lips turning up into a small smile. "You both came...?"

"Everything is fine," Sayaka replied so her friend could take a moment to recover herself from the emotional roller coaster she was riding on. "And you're going to be okay, that's what really matters right now."

"I'm sorry," Yuu managed to get out, her eyes struggling to stay open. "I caused...a rift... between you..." Her head lightly leaned to the side, eyes closed and breathing steadying out again. The two girls looked at each other sadly a moment before sitting back down. It only took a few moments before Yuu to stir again, picking up as if nothing had happened. "Ah, that... you know, the..."

"It's okay," Touko tried to soothe her. "We talked, everything is okay."

Yuu was clearly struggling, trying to appear as if she were fine, only to completely miss everything going on around her. "You were both yelling... so much. I felt so bad..." She almost drifted off again, but managed to keep herself awake. "I don't like that feeling... Love is supposed to be good... like floating...not this heavy feeling..." Her eyes weakly tried to focus on them. "Why can't we... all just be together? Why... does it have to be only one?"

The two looked at each other and then away. "I don't... think Touko likes me like that." Sayaka offered meekly.

"I don't dislike you," Touko answered her. "You know that."

"Then," Yuu took a deep breath, consciousness leaving her a moment as she fell back asleep for just a few seconds. "We all... Can love."

Touko's mouth opened a moment, but the words didn't want to come to her. Yuu was already asleep again, this time fully laid back in her pillow. Slowly the girls looked at each other and offered small smiles. "I'm not sure if she's serious or not," The blue eyed girl offered softly.

"I know... I won't get my hopes up." Sayaka turned to look away, brushing some hair behind her ear.

With a slow intake of air, Touko spoke out gently. "If she was serious... I don't think it would be bad." Her friend froze for several seconds before slowly turning to look at her. "I mean," Touko continued. "I'm... Yuu and I are... Demisexual,. We're not exactly what people call the norm. You're a lesbian, which isn't the most common thing. So... Why try to be normal? Why try to please everyone else? Why... can't we just be selfish?"

"Touko..." Sayaka gingerly reached over the bed, finding a hand already moving to meet her. "That... kind of relationship wouldn't be easy."

"All this time, you two have tried to pull me away from Mio. You pushed and pushed until I broke, until I lost everything I was struggling for. Then, together, you each pulled me up, told me that I was loved, made me realize that everyone had only seen me since the beginning... So don't stop now. If I can finally say what I want, don't tell me it's not possible." Her eyes looked firmly at her friend. "Sayaka." The word was stated forcefully, making the girl's eyes widen. "I might not develop feelings for you, but I feel it would be wrong of me not to try...If Yuu was serious about this... Please consider being in a poly relationship with us."

Sayaka couldn't speak, her mouth slightly open and heart pounding in her chest. Confusion swept through her mind and prevented her from answering. Then, just as she tried once more, the door opened into the room to admit a nurse. "Oh, hello," the new person greeted them. Noticing the school uniforms, she attempted to give a scolding look. "I know you're worried about your friend, but only family is allowed in right now."

Defeated, the two gave the sleeping Yuu one last look before standing up. "Excuse me, but is there any update on how she is?" Touko tried.

"I can really only give that information to-"

"That's her girlfriend," Sayaka interrupted. "They're dating, it's okay for her to know, right?"

"Oh! Uh, I mean, I guess, if you're... dating?"

Touko tried not to let the confusion in the tone throw her off. "Please then? How is my Yuu doing?"

With a sigh, the nurse looked at the charts before her. "Physically, she's going to recover. Her wrist will heal in a few months time, but it will be difficult for her to regain complete use of it. She did receive a blood transfusion from her father, so it was a good match for her. Despite this, she will still be weak for a while. Surgery took it's toll on her since her body is so small. For the next few days, only light walking is allowed. The stitches on her side and leg can be removed in two weeks." Nodding to herself, she smiled at the girls again. "But you really do have to let her rest, she needs her sleep. Come by tomorrow for visiting hours, okay?"

"Yes ma'am," the two spoke in unison before leaving the room. As the door closed, Sayaka let out a sigh. "Great..."

"Sayaka." Touko looked over at her. "Let's go get dinner, it's already late." A small smile was offered. "I'll tell Yuu's sister that we got kicked out and we'll visit later. Until then... Let's just try to settle down... Maybe call our families and tell them why we're not home yet too..."

"... You sound like me." Sayaka started to walk, getting Touko beside her as she passed. "Okay, there's a nice seafood place nearby we could walk to?"

Touko smiled. "...Yuu will be so mad we ate shrimp without her." The two shared a look, a new comforting feeling coming over them now. "Sorry I slapped you."

"Sorry I yelled at you." Their hands bumped into each other's, index fingers curling ever so slightly to stay together. "...This is going to be one interesting relationship."

Touko stood in front of the bookstore where Yuu both lived and worked. She had been released from the hospital two days ago, but they had kept their communication through text for the time being. Today, though, she finally steeled herself for the talk that needed to happen.

Sayaka was with her friend, standing back a bit to give her room to breathe. When she caught Touko's eye glancing back at her, she stepped forward to give her support. "No matter what happens," she whispered softly to her. "I'm going to be your friend. Remember that, okay?"

With a nod, Touko lead the way into the store and was greeted by Yuu's mother almost instantly. "Ah, Nanami-chan, welcome." She saw Sayaka behind her give a little wave as well. "Ah, you brought your friend too! Are you Saeki-chan by any chance?" The surprised look confirmed it for her. "Yuu has been talking about you as well lately. She calls you both 'her girls' and was wondering when you two would stop by."

"Ah, uhm," Touko tried to steady herself. "We've been keeping in touch through Line, but we really wanted to see her in person, I hope that's okay?" With a confirming nod, and a gesture to the stairs, she lead her friend up into the house. Rei was there along the way, greeting them both with a smile and letting them know Yuu was awake. Before long, they stood before the open door to their junior's room. Yuu was sitting up in bed, eyes focusing on the switch in her hands. With a tiny knock, Touko got the attention she needed.

"Touko-senpai!" Yuu's eyes lit up a moment. "And Sayaka too? Are you two both on good terms again?"

Sayaka sat her schoolbag down and neatly went to her knees before the bed so they could talk. "We visited you in the hospital, do you remember?"

"Ahhh... I kind of don't." Yuu revealed nervously. "I was told I was pretty out of it for a while. I guess I don't react well to the stuff they give you to make you sleep." Looking back over at her friends, she offered a weak smile. "I guess... you two talked things out then?"

"Kind of," Touko sat down beside Sayaka and instantly took Yuu's cast covered hand to hold onto the exposed fingers. "Yuu, could we talk for a little bit?"

"...Yeah." Her shoulders sagged slightly. "I was kind of expecting this... If you don't want to love me anymore..."

"Stop right there." Sayaka interrupted. "This isn't a bad talk. It may be a bit weird, but... Touko?"

"Yuu," the other girl began. "When you were still mostly asleep in the hospital room, you said it was unfair how relationships had to be just with one person." The peach color of Yuu's hair shifted as the sun began to set behind the skyline, casting warmer tones into the room. "Do you... still feel that way?"

"I..." Yuu looked at them both, confused. "I mean... I barely understand anything as it is... It wasn't until... until I saw you again after being with Sayaka that I realized how I felt about you...The first thing I knew when deciding how I felt in that moment was pain...Knowing you were hurt, knowing Sayaka was alone... knowing... you two were fighting because of it. I thought, if that was love then it wasn't worth looking after..."

A small moment passed through them with the heavy words, Yuu simply looking down at the sheets. "It doesn't have to be that way," Touko's voice came lovingly. "Yuu, we have been talking for a while, and want to see if you want this as well. But no matter what, I will still love you. I will still be here for you, and if you feel the same, then I want to stay with you. Okay?"

Yuu tried her best to smile. "This isn't what I imagined our confessions to look like... but okay. What have you two been thinking?"

Sayaka answered this time, unsurely bringing a hand up to place on top of Touko's so she could interlace her fingers with theirs as well. "Yuu, do you know what polyamory is?"

"Isn't that where, uhm, one guy has multiple wives?"She looked unsure,

"Uh, no," Touko suddenly looked embarrassed at that answer. "I mean, it could, but that's not the point here... It's where more than one person are in a relationship. It doesn't have to be a triangle, it can be two loving one person, or many others ways... But it's a bond of trust, understanding, and acceptance. It's not the easiest to hold, but it's still a thing..."

Yuu looked at their hands again before quickly moving her eyes between them."Wait, are you two suggesting what I think you are?"

Sayaka spoke first. "Yuu, I've told you before that I love Touko. I still do, and I will for a long time now. She doesn't love me back, but she accepted my feelings and will let me love her if you give me your blessing." Yuu tried to reply, but the older girl's voice came before she could. "And...I want to see what we have as well." As expected, the golden eyed girl looked suddenly embarrassed. "Yuu, I know we don't' love each other, but that night... I want to explore it with you, if you'll have me."

Touko shifted so her other hands was with them as well, sandwiching both Yuu's and Sayaka's. "And I love you, Yuu. I want to be your girlfriend. I want you to... love me back. To show me what it's like to be my own person. I want you to walk with me." Glancing to the side, her cheeks colored. "And... I want to see what I feel for Sayaka really is. She's been with me through my hardest moments now, and... I don't want to leave her. I know it may be a lot to ask, but that's my side as well."

Yuu tried to take in everything that had just been dropped on her. Slowly she looked between them both and tried to steady herself. "I... don't know what to say."

"You don't have to answer now," Touko whispered to her. "And if you say no, Sayaka and I have already agreed to let everything go on the spot."

"I don't want that." Yuu told them firmly. The words hit the girls hard and they both immediately moved their hands away from each others. "Ah, I mean, I don't want you two to pretend nothing happened between yourselves." Embarrassment was clear on her face. "S-sorry, I just blurted that out. Reaching over, she tried to take their hands again. "What I mean to say is, I don't think I mind the idea." Looking at Sayaka, Yuu got a firm look. "Sorry." Taking a deep breath, Yuu tried again. "I think that's a good idea. I like it."

"Then...?" Touko looked between the two girls, face a mix of excitement and uncertainty. "Then, how do you feel?"

"...Touko." The honorific was dropped entirely from Yuu's voice. "I'm demisexual, and kind of weird and complicated but... I do love you. I want to be your girlfriend." She could see the pure relief on the girl's face, tears welling up in her eyes. "Sayaka." The name made green eyes slowly lock into hers. "I don't love you, but I do... feel something. I don't know what it is, or if it will even bloom. I'm uncertain if I could ever love you, but... You're right. There was something in that night that stayed with me. I... want to try this."

The three all looked at their hands on the bed. Shyly they all moved them together in a tangled mess of fingers, each one trying to touch the other girl's at the same time. "Then..." Touko whispered. "I'll seal it with a kiss. Yuu?" Leaning forward and pushing up at bit, she touched their noses together. "I love you. I'll do everything I can to make you happy." With that, the small gap between them closed, lips pressing together for several seconds. When the two parted, a blush stung both their cheeks, eyes nervously looking away for their own sanity's sake. "Sayaka." Touko leaned to her friend. "I promise I'll try to make us work, and will never hide secrets from you about it." A small nod came. "Then, with a kiss..." Their lips touched, Sayaka's body going stiff as it lingered.

When Touko pulled away, Sayaka tried to catch her breath, eyes shining and cheeks darkening. "I promise you," she whispered softly. Her eyes reluctantly moved, looking up to Yuu's on the bed. "Yuu," her voice was soft. "I promise I'll be honest with you. I won't hold back anything about Touko and myself, and I will try to figure us out as well..." Yuu's breath caught as she leaned forward, accepting the contract that had been given to her. "With a kiss, I promise you." Their lips touched with the impact of memories flooding them both. The touches, the cries of emotion, the absolute refusal to end their night until their bodies could no longer move.

"With my kisses..." Yuu spoke when Sayaka pulled away, looking between them both. "I promise you my honesty and my love." Together they leaned forward, tilting so their foreheads all touched and they could look down at their hands interlaced together.

Yuu growled in frustration as her pencil fell once again from her shaking fingers. Her cast had come off only a few days before, but she found mobility in her wrist far from perfect. Despite this, she was told she would regain seventy percent of her mobility back if she worked hard at it. Sports was no longer in her future, but the girl didn't mind that. As long as she could work a keyboard, controller, and pencil, she knew she would be fine.

"Don't give up, Koito-san." Seiji encouraged her, offering the girl the dropped pencil. " Finals are almost here, you can do it." The student council was all together after school, despite not having any business to attend to. The last few days of the school year were among them, and their private room in the trees by the school was claimed as a cram session spot after school. Each one of them helped out the other as they worked, but currently only the two were left. "Hey, Koito-san?" He asked with a smile.

"Mmn?" Yuu accepted the pencil and tried to hold it again, focusing.

"You seem really close with Nanami-senpai and Saeki-senpai lately."

Yuu grinned to herself as she forced messy words onto the paper before her. "Hey, Maki-kun? Can you keep a secret for me?

"Sure?" He tilted his head. "What is it?"

"Well, you see..." Yuu held up her paper, showing a sloppy triangle with their names on it. The words '_We are all dating each other_' were on the side, next to a smiling flapjack octopus.

"Ohhhh." Seji realized, smiling breaking out on his fast. "I can't wait to see how this play turns out!"


End file.
